No more Boy Scouts
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redhawker
Buckeye
For any that want to get their son(s) or grandson(s) involved in an organization similar to the old Boy Scouts before all the woke crap came in I hear this is a good alternative... https://www.traillifeusa.com/
I started in Cub Scouts, made Life rank (under the old system) and was an OA member before other interests took over. That said, I went to scout summer camp every year during my time and attended every camporee available. Had a half-dozen merit badges like first aid, swimming, canoeing, camping, etc. Learned Morse code, which I have since forgotten. Moved on up to the Explorer program and served as a den chief for a neighbor's Cub Scout pack. Had excellent leaders. All in all, a pleasant experience which I treasure and hate to see overshadowed by the recent decisions. 
My younger son turned in Eagle packet last Friday. I am an assistant SM and Eagle Scout. My older son is an Eagle too. The troops are boy only or girl only. I have no issue with scouting helping girls do cool things like backpacking, shooting, camping etc. As long as the troops are all one gender. I'll be done at the end of the year. Each troop is different. Mine is chartered by a Baptist Church and will fold before they integrate. Understand no one is saying we should integrate. The troop I am part of does high adventure each summer, shooting, lots of backpacking, wilderness survival, black powder etc. some don't. We are going to Boundary Waters again next month. I am glad my kids got to participate and they have learned leadership and other skills. Nationally, they are headed the wrong way. I support local and the kids. Lots don't have dads to teach them this stuff.
The Preacher
Single-Sixer
Contender; I too am a member of The Order of the Arrow. Did you get "tapped out" around a big bonfire in the process?
Sadly they have lost any redeeming value. I spent over 30 years as a Scout/Scouter.
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That happened a couple years ago. After years as a Cub, Boy, Explorer and Committee member, two Jamborees (1950 Valley Forge as a Scout and 1993 as a Leader) I am saddened by these changes.
contender
Ruger Guru
"The Order of the Arrow. Did you get "tapped out" around a big bonfire in the process?"
Of course!
Like others here,, there are still good Troops & things that can make a positive impact upon young boys as they develop into men.
And the Merit Badges offered are still good ways to learn skills. The required Eagle ones are in place to assist in the education of these young boys as they develop into young men. But I have also seen the addition of a few more "modern" merit badges,, while some of the older more traditional ones get dropped. Yes,, it's part of the evolution of things. But at the same time,, the loss of some of them is taking away the opportunity for some to really learn stuff.
I too still drop in on my Troop as a guest occasionally. And I also do little things to help them when needed. But none of it involves any overnight camping or other things like that. Yes,, I can be brought in as a Merit Badge counselor assistant,, (when they need a trained person to assist in the boys getting specific skills taught to them.) A good example are the shooting merit badges.
And my Troop has not had any girls try & join them yet. But I do know it's happening in our local Council.
I will be the very first one to stand & say that the "old" BSA program was NOT perfect. I'll be the first one to say that "Yes, we have had issues in the BSA history where pedophiles have taken advantage of young boys. And we've had cases where other boys have done inappropriate things too."
I know first hand of things that happened locally over my decades of service. And when discovered,, they were swiftly & legally dealt with.
As adults,, we often look back upon our lives at the people who influenced us as we grew up. I can say that I look at (3) men in my life that made the biggest impact. My Dad, my Karate instructor, and my Scoutmaster. All 3 taught me many life lessons. I thank them all.
Of course!
Like others here,, there are still good Troops & things that can make a positive impact upon young boys as they develop into men.
And the Merit Badges offered are still good ways to learn skills. The required Eagle ones are in place to assist in the education of these young boys as they develop into young men. But I have also seen the addition of a few more "modern" merit badges,, while some of the older more traditional ones get dropped. Yes,, it's part of the evolution of things. But at the same time,, the loss of some of them is taking away the opportunity for some to really learn stuff.
I too still drop in on my Troop as a guest occasionally. And I also do little things to help them when needed. But none of it involves any overnight camping or other things like that. Yes,, I can be brought in as a Merit Badge counselor assistant,, (when they need a trained person to assist in the boys getting specific skills taught to them.) A good example are the shooting merit badges.
And my Troop has not had any girls try & join them yet. But I do know it's happening in our local Council.
I will be the very first one to stand & say that the "old" BSA program was NOT perfect. I'll be the first one to say that "Yes, we have had issues in the BSA history where pedophiles have taken advantage of young boys. And we've had cases where other boys have done inappropriate things too."
I know first hand of things that happened locally over my decades of service. And when discovered,, they were swiftly & legally dealt with.
As adults,, we often look back upon our lives at the people who influenced us as we grew up. I can say that I look at (3) men in my life that made the biggest impact. My Dad, my Karate instructor, and my Scoutmaster. All 3 taught me many life lessons. I thank them all.
Sure thing. More choices for the mental midgets; even transgender kids! I would never let my children be part of this outfit. Glad mine are all grown and gone. Scary.
dhains1963
Single-Sixer
I was in the cub scouts and was a boy scout for a short time, until I found out there was skinny dipping. If they would have waited for the girls to be included maybe there wouldn't be as many lawsuits! Lol
Huskerguy72
Single-Sixer
As mentioned, this has been coming for years and it is a sad commentary. The left does not want boys to be boys and eventually men. My opinion.
Regardless, we quit supporting them years ago, no popcorn, nothing. It is kind of sad when a cute boy comes to the house asking us to buy popcorn and we just want to say something besides "no thank you". We simply cannot support this mess.
Regardless, we quit supporting them years ago, no popcorn, nothing. It is kind of sad when a cute boy comes to the house asking us to buy popcorn and we just want to say something besides "no thank you". We simply cannot support this mess.
As a poor kid from a blue collar family growing up in the 1950's in NYC, the Boy Scouts were a big part of my early life. The weekend "hikes" were about the only times that I had the chance to leave the city environment and gain some appreciation for the outdoors. We had very, very little adult supervision. The Moms were generally not involved and the Dads were too busy trying to support their families to spend time with us so we relied upon each other, despite our young age. I stayed in Scouting until I reached the time when the only things that I thought about were girls and cigarettes, and that was at about age 15.
When my kids were young I pushed them into Scouting, both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but found that everything had changed. Everything was being done by the adults, taking away the very things that made scouting interesting for the kids. None of my kids had any enthusiasm for the programs, and none stuck with it more than a year or two at most. I've had no involvement with Scouting for the last 50 years or so, and consider it just another activity that has disappeared as times changed.
When my kids were young I pushed them into Scouting, both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but found that everything had changed. Everything was being done by the adults, taking away the very things that made scouting interesting for the kids. None of my kids had any enthusiasm for the programs, and none stuck with it more than a year or two at most. I've had no involvement with Scouting for the last 50 years or so, and consider it just another activity that has disappeared as times changed.
redfernclan
Bearcat
My experience as a scouter was also one of the biggest teaching points in my life. I could go on forever with stories, but lets just say it was meaningful. Got my son into it and told him one of the biggest regrets I had in life was not getting my Eagle. I made "life" and stalled because of cars and girls. Two merit badges short. I except that I quit, but regrate it. My son went on to become an Eagle Scout. After he made it, we both moved on from the Troup. It was struggling all along. About three years latter I ran into one of the leaders and asked how things were going and what everyone thought of the changes coming? She put it very well and simply said all of the parents had gotten together and discussed it and as a group, they did not care for the direction the scouts were headed nor did there own values align with the new ones of the scouting organization. They had stopped taking new members and were going to get the current boys through until they were done and then disband the troop. Kind of sad, but I understand.
My hats of to all who have volunteered. I spent my time at car washes, bottle drives, teaching merit badges, camp outs, weekly meetings, collecting newspapers, so on and so on. It is a real challange to do all that a long with working full time, being a husband, raising other kids and just living life. A special thanks to those that volunteered without your boy being in.
You are the ones that truly make it all happen. Thank you.
My hats of to all who have volunteered. I spent my time at car washes, bottle drives, teaching merit badges, camp outs, weekly meetings, collecting newspapers, so on and so on. It is a real challange to do all that a long with working full time, being a husband, raising other kids and just living life. A special thanks to those that volunteered without your boy being in.
You are the ones that truly make it all happen. Thank you.
Star43
Blackhawk
When I read Contender's 2 posts, I could really feel the frustration and sadness in his writing. It wasn't really a "post". It was an outflow of pain from deep in the gut......Sounds like others here also feel the same way ...Read it again as it explains the "business part" of how BSA used to work. They were individual businesses speaking of districts and councils. I also feel the same way and it hurts me to write this too. I was a Cubmaster for 4 years and after my son got his Arrow of Light after the Webelo 2 year, there were a lot of boys who wanted to continue in Scouting as we sure had a lot of good fun and made many friends. I started a Troop and with the help of 3 Asst .Scoutmasters and 2 or 3 good Dad's, I had the honor of being their Scoutmaster for another 12 years. My son had already earned his Eagle Scout. I will never forget with 42 Merit Badges. I will also not forget the other boys who earned their Eagle with pride. They have all grown up and live good lives for the most part, and be every once in a while I will bump into one of them in a store usually, and with their wife and family and we have a good time reminiscing about the good old days. I have a basement with my work shop and stuff and that was our Den, when they were Cubs, and later on they would still want to meet in their Den every other week when we didn't meet at the VFW, who I got to sponsor us. They loved to come "home" as we had a large meeting table, and of course their air hockey, and basketball game, etc, etc, down there. Every meeting near the end my wife would come down stairs with milk or punch and cupcakes she made or cookies, whatever. The boys loved her for that. To this day, on the wall going downstairs, their pictures of being at events thru the years are still there, and I will never take them down. Those were the very best years and so glad we have all of those memories. I can go on, it was great. 
"Lots don't have dads to teach them this stuff."
Besides my own son, this was what got me involved and kept me involved even after my son aged out. It was the things like an overnight short hike, and there was always a kid that would show up in tennis shoes or no tent when it was 40 degrees and pouring down rain. Or the boy I would help out with a pack and other gear, and they show up with cowboy boots for a 7 day 50 mile hike.
95% of the scouts I had any contact with as part of our small local troop, turned out to be fine upstanding men. I only know of one that ended up in jail in his 20's. The rest all seem to be thriving.
Oh ya, I also taught a lot of boys how to shoot a rifle and shotgun.
All those that I still have contact with, are still into the shooting sports.
Besides my own son, this was what got me involved and kept me involved even after my son aged out. It was the things like an overnight short hike, and there was always a kid that would show up in tennis shoes or no tent when it was 40 degrees and pouring down rain. Or the boy I would help out with a pack and other gear, and they show up with cowboy boots for a 7 day 50 mile hike.
95% of the scouts I had any contact with as part of our small local troop, turned out to be fine upstanding men. I only know of one that ended up in jail in his 20's. The rest all seem to be thriving.
Oh ya, I also taught a lot of boys how to shoot a rifle and shotgun.
All those that I still have contact with, are still into the shooting sports.
el caminero
Single-Sixer
Girls have been allowed in the Venture Scouts branch since the '70's
It had to happen eventually. I wasn't a Scout but I did participate in activities at the YMCA.
The Young Men's Christian Association has been dead for years.
At the Y down the street most of the members are adults, many senior citizens.
Women started invading when I was in Indian Guides. The Y started a program called Indian Maidens for mothers and daughters.
We used to start and end every event with prayer. And you were taught to uphold Christian values. Today no prayers are said and you can't preach the word of God because it might offend someone.
It's still an association but the one here is mostly just a gym for well healed adults. There programs for kids are all but gone.
The Young Men's Christian Association has been dead for years.
At the Y down the street most of the members are adults, many senior citizens.
Women started invading when I was in Indian Guides. The Y started a program called Indian Maidens for mothers and daughters.
We used to start and end every event with prayer. And you were taught to uphold Christian values. Today no prayers are said and you can't preach the word of God because it might offend someone.
It's still an association but the one here is mostly just a gym for well healed adults. There programs for kids are all but gone.
I will also add that for me, as an adult, helping teach these kids and watching them mature is VERY rewarding. Seeing both of my Sons complete the requirements for Eagle is rewarding. There is a chance at a Boy Scout Eagle ceremony for the new Eagle to present Mentor Pins to a few adults who have made an impact in their lives. I have been presented with 8 or 9. I tell people honestly, that that means more to me than when I earned my Eagle. To know that I positively impacted the lives of these young men. Many have solid families, many are being raised by single moms. But in most cases the parents were not on the outings and outdoor skills, etc were learned from me. I've backpacked hundreds of miles with these kids, in summer when it was 100 degrees, in winter when it was 8 degrees. They now know that cooking on a campfire with an aluminum pot doesn't work well when it's below freezing. They know that if they don't quit they can make it up a mountain with a 55 lb backpack. They know how to lead a target with a shotgun, they know that on a campout with a bunch of guys, we still take time on Sunday morning to stop and worship. They know how when your buddy is struggling to carry all his gear, you take some of his load because if one person is slow, we all are slow.
That is what I teach and that's what the boys with me learn. If they were not in Scouting would they learn this stuff? Maybe.
I'm really saddened with the push to change all this. I'm glad I was in when I was and that my kids were in before it got to bad.
That is what I teach and that's what the boys with me learn. If they were not in Scouting would they learn this stuff? Maybe.
I'm really saddened with the push to change all this. I'm glad I was in when I was and that my kids were in before it got to bad.
I have a question. All of this gender stuff has me completely confused, and I haven't learned all the terms ( nor do I really plan to, truth be told). However, I respectfully ask how many genders foes the newly named ex BSA recognize now? Real question, because I don't know the answer,
Also, one more question: When I was in the BSA (and Cub Scouts too), we had "official" knives that we were taught to use as tools. A multi-blade folder for Cubs, and a Sheath knife for Boy Scouts. The "official" in quotes because their were several regional BSA knives. In my area it was a Utica Sportsman ( I still have both). The question: Do they still teach knife usage in scouts, and are they still carried?
Also, one more question: When I was in the BSA (and Cub Scouts too), we had "official" knives that we were taught to use as tools. A multi-blade folder for Cubs, and a Sheath knife for Boy Scouts. The "official" in quotes because their were several regional BSA knives. In my area it was a Utica Sportsman ( I still have both). The question: Do they still teach knife usage in scouts, and are they still carried?
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